U.S. patent number 6,375,252 [Application Number 09/711,515] was granted by the patent office on 2002-04-23 for motor vehicle functional front end referenced to the wing of a vehicle.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Compagnie Plastic Omnium, Renault SA. Invention is credited to Hugues Cheron, Laurent Decker, Marc Durbize, Bruno Ghiringhelli, Alain Liadouze.
United States Patent |
6,375,252 |
Cheron , et al. |
April 23, 2002 |
**Please see images for:
( Certificate of Correction ) ** |
Motor vehicle functional front end referenced to the wing of a
vehicle
Abstract
Motor vehicle functional front end particularly comprising an
upper crossmember (1). The said crossmember comprises, near to one
of the ends of the said crossmember, a point of reference allowing
it to be positioned on the vehicle, longitudinally and laterally,
with respect to a reference point provided on a front wing of the
vehicle.
Inventors: |
Cheron; Hugues (Bourg Saint
Christophe, FR), Decker; Laurent (Boulogne
Billancourt, FR), Ghiringhelli; Bruno (Langres,
FR), Liadouze; Alain (Buc, FR), Durbize;
Marc (Jouars-Pont-de-Chartrain, FR) |
Assignee: |
Compagnie Plastic Omnium
(Lyons, FR)
Renault SA (Billancourt, FR)
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Family
ID: |
9552090 |
Appl.
No.: |
09/711,515 |
Filed: |
November 14, 2000 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
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Nov 15, 1999 [FR] |
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9914280 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
296/203.02 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B62D
25/084 (20130101); B62D 25/163 (20130101); B62D
29/043 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B62D
25/16 (20060101); B62D 29/04 (20060101); B62D
25/08 (20060101); B62D 29/00 (20060101); B60J
007/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;296/203.2,194,186,187 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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2625164 |
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Dec 1987 |
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FR |
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2 754 235 |
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Apr 1998 |
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FR |
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5-105115 |
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Apr 1993 |
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JP |
|
6-40350 |
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Feb 1994 |
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JP |
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8-258745 |
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Oct 1996 |
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JP |
|
10-329755 |
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Dec 1998 |
|
JP |
|
11-198747 |
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Jul 1999 |
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JP |
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2000 177633 |
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Jun 2000 |
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JP |
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Primary Examiner: Patel; Ken
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Oliff & Berridge, PLC
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. Motor vehicle functional front end particularly comprising an
upper crossmember (1), characterized in that it comprises, near to
one of the ends of the said crossmember, a point of reference of
the functional front end (12) allowing it to be positioned on the
vehicle, longitudinally and laterally, with respect to a reference
point of a wing (14) provided on a front wing of the vehicle.
2. Functional front end according to claim 1, characterized in that
the point of reference of the functional front end (12) on the
functional front end and the reference point (14) on the wing are
superposed using a removable means (15).
3. Functional front end according to claim 2, wherein the point of
reference of the functional front end (12) consists of a notch
which rests around a pin (15) planted temporarily in the reference
point of a wing (14) comprising an orifice made in the wing.
4. Motor vehicle functional front end particularly comprising an
upper crossmember (1), characterized in that it comprises, near to
one of the ends of the said crossmember, a point of reference of
the functional front end (12) allowing it to be positioned on the
vehicle, longitudinally and laterally, with respect to a reference
point of a wing (14) provided on a front wing of the vehicle,
wherein the point of reference of the functional front end (12) and
the reference point of the wing (14) are superposed using a pin
fixed into the wing lining and which, once the functional front end
is in position, serves as a stop for a bonnet.
5. Functional front end according to claim 1, characterized in that
the upper crossmember (1) comprises holes (11) for fixing to the
wing linings (6, 7) of the vehicle.
6. Functional front end according to claim 1, wherein the upper
crossmember (1) is equipped, at each of its ends, with a support
piece (2, 3).
7. Functional front end according to claim 6, wherein the point of
reference of the functional front end is on one of the
supports.
8. Functional front end according to claim 6, wherein the support
pieces (2, 3) are fixed at the same time the upper crossmember (1)
is fixed to the wing linings (6, 7).
9. Functional front end according to claim 6, characterized in that
the support pieces (2, 3) provided at each end of the crossmember
extend as far as the lower longerons (4, 5) of the vehicle to which
they are also secured.
10. Functional front end according to claim 2, characterized in
that the upper crossmember (1) comprises holes (11) for fixing to
the wing linings (6,7) of the vehicle.
11. Functional front end according to claim 3, characterized in
that the upper crossmember (1) comprises holes (11) for fixing to
the wing linings (6,7) of the vehicle.
12. Functional front end according to claim 4, characterized in
that the upper crossmember (1) comprises holes (11) for fixing to
the wing linings (6,7) of the vehicle.
13. Functional front end according to claim 2, wherein the upper
crossmember (1) is equipped, at each of its ends, with a support
piece (2, 3).
14. Functional front end according to claim 3, wherein the upper
crossmember (1) is equipped, at each of its ends, with a support
piece (2, 3).
15. Functional front end according to claim 4, wherein the upper
crossmember (1) is equipped, at each of its ends, with a support
piece (2, 3).
16. Functional front end according to claim 5, wherein the upper
crossmember (1) is equipped, at each of its ends, with a support
piece (2, 3).
17. Functional front end according to claim 7, wherein the support
pieces (2, 3) are fixed at the same time the upper crossmember (1)
is fixed to the wing linings (6, 7).
18. Functional front end according to claim 7, characterized in
that the support pieces (2, 3) provided at each end of the
crossmember extend as far as the lower longerons (4, 5) of the
vehicle to which they are also secured.
19. Functional front end according to claim 8, characterized in
that the support pieces (2, 3) provided at each end of the
crossmember extend as far as the lower longerons (4, 5) of the
vehicle to which they are also secured.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a functional front end of a motor
vehicle referenced to the wing (side panel or fender) of the
vehicle, wherein the functional front end supports and houses
lighting units, as well as possibly other items such as and/or
radiators, reservoirs, and electrical and electric units.
2. Description of Related Art
Motor vehicle functional front ends are known in the art as a part
of a motor vehicle and are support structures intended mainly to
house the radiator of the engine and various items of the vehicle
such as the light units, reservoirs and electrical or electronic
units.
The benefit of a functional front end is felt particularly when
assembling the vehicle because all the items it supports can be
fixed to it away from the vehicle assembly line, the assembly then
being brought up to the vehicle as a single operation.
A functional front end is fixed to the chassis of the vehicle with
a slight offset with respect to the pieces of bodywork.
This offset is of no problem for the technical items but prevents
parts which have to coincide very precisely with pieces of bodywork
of the vehicle from being fixed to the functional front end.
Nonetheless, to obtain the stylistic effect of modern vehicles
which comprise lighting units flush with the pieces of bodywork and
aprons or skirts extending the bodywork continuously at the front
of the vehicle, it would be desirable to be able to have use of a
functional front end which could be positioned very precisely with
respect to the body of the vehicle.
The present invention sets out to provide a motor vehicle
functional front end which meets this need.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The subject of the present invention is a motor vehicle functional
front end particularly compromising an upper crossmember,
characterized in that it comprises, near to one of the ends of the
crossmember, a point of reference of the functional front end
allowing it to be positioned on the vehicle, longitudinally and
laterally, with respect to a reference point of a wing provided on
a front wing of the vehicle.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
With a view to making the invention easier to understand, one
embodiment thereof which is given by way of nonlimiting example
will now be described with reference to the appended drawings, in
which:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a front part of a motor
vehicle,
FIG. 2 is a closeup view in the direction of arrow 2 of FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is a side view of a front part of a motor vehicle in which
the hood in a closed position is stopped by a pin.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The functional front end according to the invention is positioned
longitudinally and laterally not with respect to the body of the
vehicle, namely not with respect to the lower and upper longerons,
but with respect to a wing which, at the time that the functional
front end is mounted on the vehicle, has already been mounted on
the chassis thereof.
The heightwise positioning of the functional front end can be
performed by pressure on a wing reinforcement.
It is not until it has been correctly positioned on the vehicle
with respect to one of its wings that the functional front end
according to the vehicle is fixed to the chassis of the vehicle. In
other words, the vertical positioning of the functional front end
may be obtained by applying pressure on the reinforcements (9).
Once the desired vertical positioning is obtained relative to the
position of the one of the wings (8), the functional front end is
fixed to the vehicle chassis.
In one particular embodiment of the invention, in order to
superpose the point of reference of the functional front end and
the reference point of the wing, use is made of a removable means
so as to allow the wing to slide with respect to the chassis
particularly when this wing is made of plastic and undergoes
significant differential expansions.
For example, the point of reference of the functional front end may
consist of a notch which rests around a pin planted temporarily in
an orifice made in the wing.
The pin constitutes the means of superposition and the orifice made
in the wing is the reference point of a wing for the piece of
bodywork.
In another embodiment, use is made of a pin fixed into the wing
lining, this pin not being removable but once the functional front
end has been positioned, serving as a stop for the bonnet. In this
case, the pin is equipped at its end directed upwards with an
elastic end piece capable of damping the impact that results from
the bonnet being slammed shut.
In one particular embodiment of the invention, the upper
crossmember comprises holes for fixing to the wing lining of the
vehicle, which allows it to be secured to the chassis of the
vehicle once it has been positioned by means of the reference point
or a wing.
In one particular embodiment of the invention, the crossmember is
equipped with a support piece at each of its ends, in the form of a
front quadrant, which is a piece capable or incorporating the
lighting units of the vehicle and various other items such as a
radiators reservoirs, and electrical or electric units generally
placed on a functional front end.
In this embodiment, it is advantageous for the point of reference
of the functional front end to be on one of the front
quadrants.
Thus, not only does the crossmember become simpler to produce, but
above all, the front quadrant can be positioned precisely with
respect to the wing, something which is very important because it
is the front quadrant which supports the items which have to be
appropriately positioned with respect to the remainder of the
vehicle bodywork, such as the lighting units for example.
Given that just one of the front quadrants may be referenced with
respect to the corresponding wing, provision is made, according to
the invention, for the overall geometry of the functional front end
to be adjusted on a jig before it is mounted on the vehicle, so as
to guarantee that the correct positioning of one of the front
quadrants with respect to one wing will automatically lead to that
of the other front quadrant with respect to the other wing.
To improve the rigidity of the functional front end according to
this embodiment, it is advantageous for the support pieces or front
quadrants to be fixed at the same time as the crossmember to the
wing lining.
In one particular embodiment of the invention, the support pieces
provided at each end of the crossmember extend as far as the lower
longerons of the vehicle to which they are also secured so that
they constitute struts which stiffen the upper crossmember by
securing it to the lower longerons.
FIG. 1 depicts a functional front end consisting of an upper
crossmember 1 and of two lateral support pieces 2 and 3, two front
longerons 4 and 5 of the vehicle, wing linings 6 and 7 and, in
chain line, the front left wing 8 of the vehicle.
Each support piece 2, 3 is intended to house a lighting unit and
various other items such as a radiator, reservoirs, and electrical
or electric units of the vehicle.
Each support piece is in turn firmly secured to the front end of a
longeron 4, 5.
At the upper part of the functional front end, the crossmember is
firmly secured to a wing lining reinforcement 9 which is shaped in
such a way that its front end 10 positions itself under the
crossmember 1.
The crossmember is fixed to the reinforcement 9 by screwing through
orifices 11.
According to the invention, the fixings which have just been
described for fixing the functional front end to the vehicle are
not used until after the functional front end has been precisely
positioned with respect to a piece of bodywork, in this particular
instance the front left wing 8 of the vehicle.
For this purpose, the crossmember 1 at its left-hand end comprises
a point of reference of a functional front end as a notch 12 which
is open towards the inside of the vehicle.
For its part, the wing 8 comprises a plate 13 protruding towards
the inside of the engine compartment and equipped with a reference
point of a wing comprising an orifice 14 which is capable of
accommodating a removeable pin 15, as can be seen in FIG. 2 in
which only the crossmember, the pin and the wing have been
depicted.
The removable pin 15 engaged in the reference point of a wing
comprising an orifice 14 in the wing acts as a reference point for
the point of reference of the functional front end.
The latter is positioned on the vehicle by bringing the point of
reference of a functional front end comprising a notch 12 of the
crossmember opposite the pin 15, which positions it longitudinally
with respect to the vehicle.
Vertical positioning is obtained by pressure on the two
reinforcements 9.
Once the functional front end has been suitably positioned, the
aforementioned fixings to the reinforcements 9 and to the longerons
4 and 5 are inserted.
The pin 15 can then be removed.
The functional front end according to the invention, which is very
precisely referenced with respect to the wing of the vehicle, can
support lighting units and an apron which require exact positioning
with respect to the other pieces of vehicle bodywork.
It must be clearly understood that the embodiment which has just
been described is not in any way limiting and that it can be
modified in any desirable way without thereby departing from the
scope of the invention.
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